Erasing Faith

by Julie Johnson

  “Faith Moon Morrissey,” he said, unable to keep his lips from twisting in a small smile as he said my full name. “Do you remember the first time I brought you here?”

  I nodded.

  “You didn’t want to walk the bridge. You were terrified — but you did it anyway. You didn’t let the fear stop you from living, from experiencing everything life has to offer. You trusted me, against all logic, against all reason, to keep you safe. That’s when I knew you were brave.” His voice dropped lower. “You counted to five, conquered your fear, and threw your arms around me, even though I was basically a stranger. That’s the moment I knew I loved you.”

  I tied to speak, but he wasn’t finished.

  “Three years ago, you tied your life to mine accidentally.” My eyes dropped to the cord around his neck and I smiled at the memory. “You didn’t have a choice, then. But you do, now.”

  My jaw went slack as I finally realized what was happening.

  He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small velvet bag. I felt my eyes water as I watched him pour its contents into the calloused palm of his hand — two shining bands of platinum, one large and one small. He stared into my eyes and I felt my heart spill over with love as he took my hand.

  “Marry me.” He didn’t ask, because there was no question. “Again. For real. Forever.”

  “Yes,” I breathed without a moment’s hesitation, hurling my body against his and kissing him until the air in my lungs ran out and I couldn’t breathe. “Yes.”

  His touch was featherlight, delicate, as he slipped the band onto my finger. With shaking hands, I worked his ring past his scarred knuckle and watched breathlessly as it slid into place.

  Looking down at our hands, at the gleaming twin loops around our fingers, I knew, for the rest of my life, nothing would ever be as perfect as it was in this moment.

  And that was okay.

  I didn’t need perfect. I just needed him.

  Faith and Wes.

  Wes and Faith.

  Forever.

  As we kissed on the contradictory bridge of splendor and stone, pressed together in our own special paradox, I knew the untamed wolf and the foolish girl had found their happy ending against all odds.

  Our love couldn’t be erased.

  We were permanent.

  THE END

  Acknowledgements

  Thank you.

  Yes, you.

  For taking a chance on me. For carving a little time out of your day to read my work. For being so damn supportive, it brings me to tears just thinking about all the kind messages and warm words I’ve received from members of our ever-expanding book community since I started out on this crazy journey.

  The truth is, sometimes publishing is terrifying. Some days, I find myself full of self-doubt. Plagued by insecurities. Questioning why I bother to keep writing at all, and whether it’s worth it to push on.

  But then… I open my email and my eyes catch on a message from a reader or a blogger or a fellow author.

  And there’s no longer any question.

  You are what makes all the stress and the late nights and the long hours staring at my screen with bloodshot eyes worth it. You are my cheerleaders, my supporters, my dream-makers – and absolutely none of this would be possible without you. I hope you know how truly grateful I am to each and every one of you.

  A huge thank you to Matt Phillips at The Cover Lure, who designed the beautiful cover art for both ERASING FAITH and SAY THE WORD.

  To my friends – thank you for understanding my introversion and for providing a constant source of hilarious writing material.

  To my dog Scout – thank you for being unbearably excited to see me whenever I walk through the front door.

  And finally, to my crazy, amazing family…

  Thank you Mom, for teaching me to always take the win.

  Thank you Dad, for showing me it’s the little things that matter most.

  Thank you Zack, for introducing me to sauvignon blanc. (Just kidding.)

  I love you all.

  Playlist

  Love the Way You Lie (Pt. III) – Skylar Grey

  Animals – Maroon Five

  Dark Paradise – Lana Del Rey

  Demons – Imagine Dragons

  I Knew You Were Trouble – Taylor Swift

  Million Dollar Man – Lana Del Rey

  Arms – Christina Perri

  All You Never Say – Birdy

  Distance – Christina Perri

  Wildest Dreams – Taylor Swift

  Just A Game – Birdy

  Titanium – Madilyn Bailey

  Sway – The Perishers

  Shake It Out – Florence + The Machine

  About the Author

  Julie Johnson is a twenty-something Boston native, suffering from an extreme case of Peter Pan Syndrome and an obsession with fictional characters. When she’s not writing, Julie can most often be found daydreaming, drinking too much coffee, and striving to conquer her Netflix queue. ERASING FAITH is her third novel.

  Her other books SAY THE WORD and LIKE GRAVITY are available for purchase in both digital and paperback.

  You can contact Julie on her website www.juliejohnsonbooks.com or find her on Facebook. Sometimes, when she can figure out how Twitter works, she tweets from @AuthorJulie.